2023-11-30T16:29:38+08:002019-11-29|
Contact Information
Title
Professor
Office
(Office) E12-3005 / (Lab) E12-3069
Phone
(Office) +853 8822 4979 / (Lab) +853 8822 9106
Fax
+853 8822 2314
Email
GarryGWong@um.edu.mo
Consultation Hours

Tue, Fri 11:00 – 12:00

Teaching

HSCI8005 Critical Scientific Reading, Writing and Analysis

GEST1007 Fun in Health Science

Research Team
Name Position Office Phone Email
Rongzhen LIPhD Student (Lab Representative)E12-3045+853 8822 2947
Ning LIUPhD StudentE12-3045+853 8822 2947
Education
Post-doctoral Fellow National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (1990-1993)
PhD North Carolina State University (1987-1990)
MSc North Carolina State University (1984-1987)
BSc University of California, Davis (1980-1984)
Positions
2014 – Present Full Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau
2010 – 2013 Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland
2005 – 2010 Professor, Faculty of Nature and Environmental Sciences, Kuopio University, Finland
2000 – 2005 Senior Research Fellow, Academy of Finland
1997 – 2000 Junior Research Fellow, Academy of Finland
1993 – 1996 Visiting Researcher, ALKO Ltd, Helsinki, Finland
Research Interests
My laboratory investigates the fundamental biochemical and genetic mechanisms by which dopaminergic neurons undergo degenerative processes observed during Parkinson’s disease, aging, and environmental stress. We use the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism for our studies and create transgenic animal models, identify genetic interactors, profile changes at the transcript level using next generation sequencing approaches, and develop bioinformatics tools for the study of gene and small noncoding RNA function.
Representative Publications
  • Shen L J, Wang C L, Chen L, Leung K L, Lo E, Lakso M, and Wong G. TDP-1/TDP-43 potentiates human alpha-Synuclein (HASN) neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2020, Jun 9;1866 (10): 165876.
  • Chen L, Wang C L, Sun H Y, Wang J X, Liang Y C, Wang Y, and Wong G. The bioinformatics toolbox for circRNA discovery and analysis. Brief Bioinform. 2020, Feb 26: 1-23.
  • Zhang M, Heikkinen L, Knott K E, and Wong G. De novo transcriptome assembly of a facultative parasitic nematode Pelodera (syn. Rhabditis) strongyloides. Gene. 2019, May 22;710: 30-38.
  • Wang C L, Chen L, Yang Y, Zhang M L, and Wong G. Identification of potential blood biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease by gene expression and DNA methylation data integration analysis. Clin Epigenetics. 2019, Feb 11;11 (1): 24.
  • Chen L, Sun H Y, Wang C L, Yang Y, Zhang M L, and Wong G. miRNA arm switching identifies novel tumour biomarkers. EBioMedicine. 2018, Nov 10;38: 37-46.
  • Chen L., Heikkinen L., Wang C., Yang Y., Sun, H, Wong G. Trends in the development of miRNA bioinformatics tools. Briefings in Bioinformatics, bby054, 2018.
  • Qu M, Xu K, Li Y, Wong G, Wang D. Using acs-22 mutant Caenorhabditis elegans to detect the toxicity of nanopolystyrene particles. Sci Total Environ. 2018 Jun 20;643:119-126.
  • Chen L, Heikkinen L, Wang C, Yang Y, Knott KE, Wong G. miRToolsGallery: a tag-based and rankable microRNA bioinformatics resources database portal. Database (Oxford). 2018 Jan 1;2018.
  • Wang C, Saar V, Leung KL, Chen L, Wong G. Human amyloid β peptide and tau co-expression impairs behavior and causes specific gene expression changes in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurobiol Dis. 2018 Jan;109(Pt A):88-101.
  • Wang C, Chen L, Yang Y, Zhang M, Wong G. Identification of bladder cancer prognostic biomarkers using an ageing gene-related competitive endogenous RNA network. Oncotarget. 2017 Dec 4;8(67):111742-111753.
  • Zhao, L., Qu, M., Wong G, Wang, D. Transgenerational toxicity of nanopolystyrene particles in the range of μg L−1 in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2017,4, 2356-2366.
  • Riveiro AR, Mariani L, Malmberg E, Amendola PG, Peltonen J, Wong G, Salcini AE. JMJD-1.2/PHF8 controls axon guidance by regulating Hedgehog-like signaling. Development. 2017 Mar 1;144(5):856-865.
  • Rudgalvyte M, Peltonen J, Lakso M, Wong G. Chronic MeHg exposure modifies the histone H3K4me3 epigenetic landscape in Caenorhabditis elegans. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2017 Jan;191:109-116.
  • Lussi YC, Mariani L, Friis C, Peltonen J, Myers TR., Krag C, Wong G, Salcini AE. Impaired removal of H3K4 methylation affects cell fate determination and gene transcription. Development. 2016 Oct 15;143(20):3751-3762.
  • Lehtonen Š, Jaronen M, Vehviläinen P, Lakso M, Rudgalvyte M, Keksa-Goldsteine V, Wong G, Courtney MJ, Koistinaho J, Goldsteins G.. Inhibition of Excessive Oxidative Protein Folding Is Protective in MPP+ Toxicity-Induced Parkinson’s Disease Models. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2016 Sep 10;25(8):485-97.
  • Rudgalvyte M, Peltonen J, Lakso M, Nass R, Wong G. RNA-Seq Reveals Acute Manganese Exposure Increases Endoplasmic Reticulum Related and Lipocalin mRNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2016 Feb;30(2):97-105.
  • Chen L, Heikkinen L, Emily Knott K, Liang Y, Wong G. Evolutionary conservation and function of the human embryonic stem cell specific miR-302/367 cluster. Comp Biochem Physiol Part D Genomics Proteomics. 2015 Dec;16:83-98
  • Asikainen S, Heikkinen L, Juhila J, Holm F, Weltner J, Trokovic R, Mikkola M, Toivonen S, Balboa D, Lampela R, Icay K, Tuuri T, Otonkoski T, Wong G, Hovatta O. Selective microRNA-Offset RNA expression in human embryonic stem cells. PLoS One. 2015 Mar 30;10(3):e0116668.
  • Korpelainen E, Tuimala J, Somervuo P, Huss M, Wong G (2014) RNA-seq Data Analysis: A Practical Approach, Chapman & Hall/CRC Mathematical and Computational Biology Paperback – ISBN-13: 978-1466595002, 288 pages.
  • Rudgalvyte M, VanDuyn N, Aarnio V, Heikkinen L, Peltonen J, Lakso M, Nass R, Wong G. Methylmercury exposure increases lipocalin related (lpr) and decreases activated in blocked unfolded protein response (abu) genes and specific miRNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans. Toxicol Lett. 2013, 222(2):189-96.
  • Srinivasan J, Dillman AR, Macchietto MG, Heikkinen L, Lakso M, Fracchia KM, Antoshechkin I, Mortazavi A, Wong G, Sternberg PW. The Draft Genome and Transcriptome of Panagrellus redivivus are Shaped by the Harsh Demands of a Free-Living Lifestyle. Genetics. 2013, 193(4):1279-95.
  • Kurronen A, Pihlaja R, Pollari E, Kanninen K, Storvik M, Wong G, Koistinaho M, Koistinaho J Adult and neonatal astrocytes exhibit diverse gene expression profiles in response to beta amyloid ex vivo. World Journal of Neuroscience, 2012, 2:57-67.
  • Huumonen K, Immonen HK, Baverstock K, Hiltunen M, Korkalainen M, Lahtinen T, Parviainen J, Viluksela M, Wong G, Naarala J, Juutilainen J. Radiation-induced genomic instability in Caenorhabditis elegans.
    Mutat Res. 2012, 748:36-41.
  • Aarnio V, Lehtonen M, Storvik M, Callaway JC, Lakso M, Wong G. Caenorhabditis Elegans Mutants Predict Regulation of Fatty Acids and Endocannabinoids by the CYP-35A Gene Family. Front Pharmacol. 2011, 2:12.
  • Kurki MI, Paananen J, Storvik M, Ylä-Herttuala S, Jääskeläinen JE, von Und Zu Fraunberg M, Wong G, Pehkonen P. TAFFEL: Independent Enrichment Analysis of gene sets. BMC Bioinformatics, 2011, 12:171.
  • Heikkinen L, Kolehmainen M, Wong G. Prediction of microRNA targets in Caenorhabditis elegans using a self-organizing map. Bioinformatics, 2011, 27:1247-1254.Reisner K, Lehtonen M, Storvik M, Jantson T, Lakso M, Callaway JC, Wong G. Trans fat diet causes decreased brood size and shortened lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans delta-6-desaturase mutant fat-3. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2011 25:269-279. Top 10 most accessed from the journal 8/2012.
  • Rytinki MM, Lakso M, Pehkonen P, Aarnio V, Reisner K, Peräkylä M, Wong G, Palvimo JJ. Overexpression of SUMO perturbs the growth and development of Caenorhabditis elegans. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2011, 68:3219-3232.
  • Kurki M, Häkkinen SK, Frösen J, Tulamo R, Fraunberg M, Wong G, Tromp G, Niemelä M, Hernesniemi J, Jääskeläinen JE, Ylä-Herttuala S: Upregulated signaling pathways in ruptured human saccular intracranial aneurysm wall: an emerging regulative role of Toll like receptor signaling and NF-κB, HIF1A and ETS transcription factors. Neurosurgery, 2011, 68:1667-75; discussion 1675-6.
  • Vanduyn N, Settivari R, Wong G, Nass R. SKN-1/Nrf2 inhibits dopamine neuron degeneration in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of methylmercury toxicity. Toxicol Sci. 2010, 118:613-624.
Small noncoding RNAs:

  • Rudalvyte M.; Peltonen J.; Lakso M.; Nass R.; Wong G. (2016) RNA‐Seq Reveals Acute Manganese Exposure Increases Endoplasmic Reticulum Related and Lipocalin mRNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology. 2016 Feb;30(2):97-105.
  • Chen L.; Heikkinen L.; Knott K.E. Liang Y.; Wong G. (2015) Evolutionary conservation and function of the human embryonic stem cell specific miR-302/367 cluster. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics 2015 Dec;16:83-98.
  • Asikainen S.; Heikkinen L.; Juhila J.; Holm F.; Weltner J.; Trokovic R.; Hovatta O.; Wong G. (2015) Selective MicroRNA-Offset RNA Expression in Human Embryonic Stem Cells. PloS one. 10(3):e0116668.
  • Srinivasan J, Dillman AR, Macchietto MG, Heikkinen L, Lakso M, Fracchia KM, Antoshechkin I, Mortazavi A, Wong G, Sternberg PW (2013)The Draft Genome and Transcriptome of Panagrellus redivivus are Shaped by the Harsh Demands of a Free-Living Lifestyle. Genetics. 193(4):1279-95.
  • Wong G and Nass R (2012) miRNAs and their putative roles in the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease. Front. Genetics. 3:315.
  • Asikainen S, Rudgalvyte M, Heikkinen L, Louhiranta K, Lakso M, Wong G, Nass R (2010) Global microRNA Expression Profiling of Caenorhabditis elegans Parkinson’s Disease Models. J Mol Neurosci 41(1):210-218.
  • Asikainen S, Heikkinen L, Wong G, Storvik M (2008) Functional characterization of endogenous siRNA target genes in Caenorhabditis elegans. BMC Genomics, 9:270.
 Bioinformatic Tools:

  • Korpelainen E, Tuimala J, Somervuo P, Huss M, Wong G (2014) RNA-seq Data Analysis: A Practical Approach, Chapman & Hall/CRC Mathematical and Computational Biology Paperback – ISBN-13: 978-1466595002.
  • Kurki MI, Paananen J, Storvik M, Ylä-Herttuala S, Jääskeläinen JE, von Und Zu Fraunberg M, Wong G, Pehkonen P (2011)TAFFEL: Independent Enrichment Analysis of gene sets. BMC Bioinformatics;12:171.
  • Heikkinen L, Kolehmainen M, Wong G (2011) Prediction of microRNA targets in Caenorhabditis elegans using a self-organizing map. Bioinformatics. 27(9):1247-54.
  • Paananen J, Ciszek R, Wong G (2010) Varietas: a functional variation database portal. Database, vol. 2010, article ID baq016, doi:10.1093/database/baq016
  • Pehkonen P, Wong G, Törönen P (2010)Heuristic Bayesian segmentation for discovery of coexpressed genes within genomic regions. IEEE/ACM Trans Comput Biol Bioinform, 7(1):37-49.
Research Grants
09/2017 – 12/2020 Multi-Year Research Grant MYRG2017-00123-FHS, “Transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic marks after environmental toxicant exposure in Caenorhabditis elegans.” (Principal Investigator) (1.31M MOP)
01/2017 – 12/2019 Multi-Year Research Grant MYRG2016-00101-FHS, “Database Building, Expression Analysis, and Biomarker Mining of Noncanonical Noncoding miRNAs.” (Principal Investigator) (1.45M MOP)
04/2015 – 03/2018 Multi-Year Research Grant MYRG2015-00231-FHS, “Single Cell Dopaminergic and GABAergic Neuron Sequencing in Caenorhabditis elegans: A Foundation for Neuronal Conversion.” (Principal Investigator) (1.8M MOP)
08/2011 – 12/2015 Academy of Finland Project Grant, “Caenorhabditis elegans: A model system to investigate the molecular basis of methyl mercury neurotoxicity.” (Principal Investigator) (449,000 EUR)
08/2010 – 07/2013 NordForsk Researcher Network Grant, “C. elegans Researcher Network of Shared Technology Platforms.”(Steering Board Member) (900,000 NOK)
01/2010 – 12/2012 Biocenter Finland Infrastructure Grant, “Bioinformatics Infrastructure Services.”(Principal Investigator/Node Leader) (210,000 EUR)
01/2009 – 12/2009 Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies Research Project Grant, “A Binge Drinking Model in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.” (Principal Investigator) (25,000 EUR)
08/2007 – 07/2010 NordForsk Researcher Network Grant, “Nordic C. elegans Network.”(Coordinator) (900,000 NOK)
06/2006 – 05/2009 Sigrid Juselius Foundation Research Project Grant, “Aging in Transgenic C. elegansmodels of human disease.” (Principal Investigator) (77,000 EUR)
Awards
2000 – 2005 Academy of Finland Senior Researcher Award Fellowship
1997 – 2000 Academy of Finland Junior Researcher Award Fellowship
1993 – 1996 Academy of Finland Visiting Researcher Award
1990 – 1993 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) Fellowship
Professional Activities
2010 – Present Associate Editor, Frontiers in Predictive Toxicity
2011 – Present Associate Editor, Frontiers in Toxicogenomics
2006 – Present Grant program reviewer for the following organizations:

  • Norwegian Research Council
  • The Wellcome Trust,United Kingdom
  • Netherland Nutrigenomics Program (NGO)
  • Computational Life Sciences-Dutch NationalScience Foundation (NWO)
  • EU 7th Framework
  • Parkinson’s UK
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  • Integrative Life Science Doctoral program of Helsinki University